Tricare changes will have a broad impact

The following information is provided to fill in some of the details of changes that are coming in Tricare:

Luis J. Alers-Dejesus

To the editor:

The following information is provided to fill in some of the details of changes that are coming in Tricare:

n Tricare Prime — The current family enrollment fee of $539 for working-age retirees (i.e., under age 65) would increase next year to equal 2.95 percent of the individual’s gross retired pay. But for 2014, the fee would be subject to an annual minimum, or floor, of $548 and a ceiling of $750 ($900 for flag officers). The fee would be raised to 3.3 percent of gross pay in 2015 with a floor of $558 and a ceiling of $900 ($1200 for flag officers); 3.65 percent in 2016 with floor of $569 and a ceiling of $1050 ($1500 for flag) and so on until reaching 4 percent of the gross retired pay in 2018 with a floor of $594 a ceiling of $1226 ($1840 for flag officers).

Fees for single coverage would be half this amount.

n Tricare Standard/Extra — For the first time, users of these options would face an annual enrollment fee, starting at $70 for single coverage or $140 for family, and rising each year until reaching $125 (individual) and $250 (family) in 2018. Also, the current annual deductible of $150 (individual) and $300 (family) would gradually increase, starting in 2014 until it reaches $290 (individual) and $580 (family) in 2018.

n Tricare for Life — Tricare for Life beneficiaries would see for the first time an enrollment fee for participation in the program. The fee would equal one half of one percentage point of gross retired pay in 2014; one percent in 2015; 1.5 percent in 2016, and two percent in 2017 and in 2018. But the fees would have a ceiling: no more $150 a year in 2014; no more than $300 in 2015, $450 in 2016, $600 in 2017 and no more than $618 in 2018. After 2017, these fees would be adjusted by the percentage of the retiree COLAs.

n Catastrophic cap — The current cap on total out-of-pocket costs for Tricare of $3,000 a year would be raised for retirees by excluding Tricare enrollment fees from counting toward the cap and by raising the cap annually by the percentage of retiree COLA.